Bandits' Promises
by Tessenchan
Summary: [Oneshot] Genrou has forgotten his promise to Reirei. But Kouji hasn't forgotten his promise to Hakurou, the former leader. Rated T for language set around episodes 14 and 15 of the anime.


Title ~ A Bandit's Promise (yeah I know, the title sucks. So sue me.)  
Written by ~ Tessenchan  
  
Disclaimer ~ The standard disclaimer applies-- I not own, you not sue. You sue, I sic my rabid,  
crazed, smelly lil brother on you and he chew off your toes.  
  
Author Note ~ Gag I hate writing these (only cause I hate readin' em too) but they're oh-so-  
important to the story (uh-huh) Anyway this is just a short little Genrou/Kouji thing that I thought  
of while reading my import Kanzenban manga (Yahoo for Kanzenban!) PG-13 b/c of Kou-chan  
and Gen-chan. Hey, they speak in this story, don't they? ^-^ Maybe some shounen ai on Kouji's  
part ::grins:: (although I leave it up to the imagination because I'm not really into writing that).  
Oh yeah, and if ya haven't read Genrou Den, you probably don't know what I'm talking about.  
You'll know if you say to yourself, "Reirei who?"  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
We were standing in the fortress. Thanks to the Suzaku no Miko and her "accidental" writing on  
Genrou's spell cards, Genrou's the boss now. All our friends were on their knees in front of us.  
  
"Sorry boss, really, we are." Gen-chan grinned. "Hey, ferget it. I was scared o' th' harisen too."  
He donked the Miko on her head. "If yer gonna do any bowin', bow to Suzaku no Miko here.  
She's th' reason I'm boss now." The others nodded.  
  
"He's right. Thanks, Suzaku no Miko-sama." She waved her hands in front of her face. "No, no!  
Don't bow. Just, please..... is there someone named Tasuki here? If you're here, I'd really  
appreciate you coming with us."  
  
I glanced at Genrou for a second. His arms were crossed and he was watching the Miko. Sizing  
her up, almost. I shrugged inwardly. I knew he'd never admit to...  
  
"I know the guy." Genrou was glaring at the Miko underneath his red bangs. I caught my breath.  
*Is he really gonna...?* The priestess smiled eagerly. "Please tell me!"  
  
He stared down at the priestess and sighed. "Alright, but don' get too excited. Tasuki was th'  
name o' our old boss. Which means he's already dead."  
  
The priestess' face fell and Genrou looked down. "Tasuki's dead, and ya can't bring a stiff back  
to life........" His voice dropped an entire decibel and he whispered, "...yeah... Can't bring th' boss  
back to life...."  
  
I on the other hand, was half mad, half happy. For one, Genrou wasn't leaving! That was good.  
But the priestess looked so sad. It made me feel bad for wanting Genrou all for myself. And the  
fact that he'd lied to her. To break the mood I looked up at Genrou. "Oh yeah, Genrou. We're  
goin' to th' boss's grave at dawn. You can say yer goodbyes then."  
  
At dawn we headed up towards the boss's grave. Genrou was not his usual self during our stay  
there. He had a soft sadness in his eyes. I could understand. Genrou, like me, had looked up to the  
boss almost like a father. He meant alot to us. The priestess, however, was worrying her little  
brown head off.  
  
"Tasuki's dead....without all seven constellations there, Suzaku won't appear!!"  
The short one with the purple hair and inhuman strength (oh, the inhumaness of that strength...)  
looked at the other one, the tall one. "Hotohori-sama.... what'll we do?" He sighed. "There's  
nothing to be done. A dead man cannot be resurrected."  
  
"Boss?" One of the guys walked up and Genrou sighed, looking bored. I ignored my own  
thoughts for awhile. I wouldn't be able to beat the hell out of him until the priestess left anyway.  
"Whaddaya want?"  
"I heard this rumor," he said, "bout someone up in Choko who CAN resurrect dead people."  
  
Before anybody saw it, the priestess has the guy by the shirt collar. "SERIOUSLY?!!!"  
"Dunno. Jus' a rumor, ya know."  
"Alright then! Let's go!" The priestess ordered and the two with her glared at her. "Miaka!!"  
"Even if there's only a 1% chance it's true, we're gonna take it! Onward to Choko!! But first--"   
She turned and looked at me and Genrou and held out a bowl. "....some rice, please." I slapped  
my forehead.  
They headed off, stomachs full and minds ready for whatever adventure lay in front of them. As  
we saw them off I noticed the guys murmuring their relief at Genrou's being our leader. I watched  
them with mixed feelings, and then turned to Genrou. He was staring after them. He was fingering  
his right wrist unconsciously. I knew why. The old boss had shown us that mark last year, when  
he told us the Genrou was a Suzaku Seishi and would one day leave.   
  
Except now Genrou wasn't going anywhere. I wondered why. Hadn't he promised Reirei that he  
would work for the priestess and then come back to the mountain? That was her dying wish to  
him, that he do like she asked and work for the Miko. Then he could come home. Why was he  
stalling?  
  
"You wanted t' go, didn' ya?" I mused, trying to get him to admit it himself. He looked at me  
incredulously. "Yea right! I hate women, remember?!! And besides, I gotta take care o' you guys  
now. Like th' boss wanted."  
  
"Are ya sure it's better this way?" His answer didn't come for a long moment. When he spoke he  
sounded strained. Like he didn't even believe himself. "Yea. It's better this way."   
  
"Okay, whatever you say, boss." I said with determination and headed into the stronghold. When  
I reached the door I turned back to look at him again. He had started to follow me in, but had  
turned back one more time, staring blankly at the pathway the Suzaku Seishi had taken.  
  
I rolled my eyes and continued into the stronghold. Some worrying would do him some good.  
Punishment for lying, at least.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
"Boss? Hey, boss?"  
  
I elbowed Genrou sharply in the ribs and he winced. "OW! What th' hell-" He glared at me and I  
gestured at one of the newcomers, Kei. "Kei's talkin' t'ya, ya dumbass."  
  
"Oh..... what?" He pasted on a glare. "What th' hell d'ya want?"  
  
I noticed Genrou's eyes glaze over as Kei went over the list of things that had been done for the  
day. It was shortly after dark, and it was a simple job for the boss to decide what went where and  
everything, and yet Genrou was staring at Kei as if he didn't know what to do. I KNEW he did;  
Genrou and I had reported to the leader hundreds of times and done this very same thing.  
  
Kei must've noticed too, because in the middle of his report he abruptly asked, "Hey boss? Ya  
listenin' or what?"  
  
I stood up and grinned at Kei. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Genrou's bein' an idiot today."  
  
"Hey, I'll getcha fer that, Kouji ya--" I ignored my redheaded friend as I ushered Kei out of the  
room. Then, I calmly turned back to Genrou-  
  
-and punched him in the face.  
  
He hit the ground hard, glaring at me. "What th' hell!! Ya son of a bitch~"  
  
"Who's what, huh? Wake up!" I yelled at him and he stared at me. I crouched down in front of  
him. "Wonderin' why I just hitcha, huh? I'll tell ya. It's because yer an idiot."  
  
"What?"  
  
"If yer gonna be boss, then be the boss. If yer not, get the hell outta here and go fight with Suzaku  
no Miko."  
  
He sat in front of me for a little longer, his eyes going wide, and then stood up suddenly, dusting  
of his coat. "Yer still going on with that shit?  
  
"Of course I am! Yer worried, it's OBVIOUS, and yer so goddamned stubborn to NOT work for  
her that ya can't even admit that you ARE worried."  
  
"But I'm not! She's just a girl. I hate 'em." I laughed out loud. "Oh, so yer not worried, huh? Did  
you even SEE yerself a second ago?"  
  
Genrou looked flustered for a minute and then shrugged. "Well what the hell kinda difference  
does it make now anyway!"  
  
I stood up, walked up to him until we were nose to nose. I was just a bit taller though. "I made a  
promise, almost a year back now. While me and th' leader watched ya leave, I promised th' leader  
I would make sure that ya left. That ya worked for th' Miko like yer supposed to. He made me  
promise."   
  
Genrou shut his gaping mouth and then crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed. "Damn you Kouji....  
you and everybody.... you're still acting like an aniki....This is what I decided and nobody on this  
earth is gonna change my mind." He walked past me towards the door and left. I clenched my  
fists. *What do I say? What do I tell him that would make him go?!*  
  
And then it hit me. I raced after him, out into the hall, and yelled after him,  
  
"What about a dead person....?"  
  
He turned to me, his eyes with the same darkness he'd gotten whenever someone opposed him.  
I'd always been on the same side as him when he got that look, but never the receiving end. Now  
I was.  
  
I had seen Genrou's power before. He was strong, the only one of us besides the leader who  
made fire come out of the tessen, with the exception of that bastard daruma Eiken who cheated.  
Genrou had grown up from the runty brat he'd been two years ago. But as a man, he was still a  
runt. And I was prepared to tell him so. And I was going to lay it on pretty thick.  
  
"The leader wanted me to be boss. That's what I'm doing." he said in a low voice and I crossed  
my arms. "I didn't mean the leader." I said in the same low voice and he stopped. *Here's my  
chance....* I thought, and went for it.   
  
"I bet Reirei's disappointed in what a coward you turned out t'be, ya son of a--"  
  
I was on the ground before I realized he'd hit me, or even moved, for that matter. Some of the  
others had come out of the surrounding rooms, having heard the commotion and now watched a  
sempai and the leader fighting each other.   
  
Genrou had fisted into my shirtfront and straddled me now, one arm cocked up to punch me  
again, his face red. "Take that back, you son of a bitch!" he screamed at me, baring his fangs.   
  
God, he was furious! I'd seen this before. It seemed like I was in rewind, and flashback country  
was heading my way. When we fought Dokuro, he had amazed me, even scared me. But right  
now, I wasn't allowed to care how mad he got. I couldn't get scared, even though he was, in  
truth, much stronger than me. Losing my calm would bring me to his level. I had to prove to him  
that nothing would change my mind about changing his. I loved Genrou. He the only family I had  
ever known. But he was making a mistake and I couldn't let him.  
  
I noticed from the corner of my eye a red glowing from underneath his jacket sleeve, on his right  
wrist. I had gotten him riled up and now his character has appeared, just like I'd expected it to.  
*Thank ya, Leader, for showin' me that....*   
  
Genrou's eyes were locked on my face and I closed my eyes, smiled. I heard him get even angrier  
from seeing how calm I was. "What th' hell're you smilin' about?!"  
  
"You should know." I opened my eyes. "I don't care if yer stronger than me. I don't even care  
that yer a Suzaku Seishi..... Tasuki."   
  
I heard a murmur of surprise from the other guys and Genrou looked like he was about to hit me  
again. I glared at him. "Get as strong as ya want. You can beat me in everythin'. Ya already have.  
But when it comes to the things that people really care about, you're still a zero. I toldja before!  
Ya haven't changed at all. Grow up, Genrou!"   
  
Genrou deepened his glare at me, his fist tightened and I cursed. *Damn he's gotten even more  
stubborn over the past few months; he's about to clock me again.....* Instead, with a low growl  
he rolled off me and punched the floor. "Goddammit!" He glared at the floor now, turning his  
anger on that.  
  
I sat up and brushed the blood from my lip where he punched me. We were both quiet for a  
minute and I said softly, "You don't have to stay away forever, Genrou. Reirei told you. Work for  
the Miko like you should and then come back...... you promised Reirei that ya would. And I'll  
take care of Reikaku while you're away."   
  
He was quiet for a little longer and then he took a deep breath, exhaling loudly. He looked at me  
with an expression that was almost hate, but I noticed something else. He looked like a great  
weight had been taken off his shoulders.   
  
"I'll go....." He stood up and looked at me silently with a softness in his eyes. Then he headed  
outside. Me and some of the other followed and he was just at the ledge when he turned back. I  
glared at him. "Don't start this shit again, get th' hell outta here."  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm goin'!" Then he grinned wildly and stuck his nose in the air. "Although I'm  
gonna feel bad about leavin' a lowly punk like you in charge of my mountain." I made a face, even  
though on the inside I was happy.  
  
"Whoever said it was your mountain you blockhead!!" I yelled, smacking him in the back of the  
head and he made a face, grabbed my arm and put his other arm around me in a lock and hung on  
me, like the little brother he was. I pushed him off and he slid down the hill, onto the path that led  
away from the mountain. He looked back up at me and I grinned. "Don't do nothing stupid, ya  
blockhead."  
  
"Like gettin' killed?"  
  
"Especially that." The others came up behind me and we watched him walk away. He turned back  
once and lifted his hand in a wave. I watched him disappear and the guys fell into a murmur,  
something like, "I didn't know Genrou was Tasuki!" They made their way back into the  
stronghold but I stayed.  
  
I thought back now, to the day when I had found him climbing over the perimeter wall of the  
stronghold and beat the shit out of him for being insolent. When he was still a runt. He had  
changed alot, but in reality, he was still Genrou.   
  
From Mt Reikaku's Genrou to the Suzaku Seishi Tasuki.  
  
Nope, he hadn't changed a bit.  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
SAP! Sap sap sap! (Just the ending.) But it's the good kind of sap. Not that nasty gummy sap  
which you can barely stand. (At least I hope....)   
  
This is the first fic I ever finished, so I'm proud of it. And to be honest, when I first wrote it, it  
was so HORRIBLE!!!! I cried it was so bad. I HAD to rewrite it! (And yet it still sucks.... ;_;  
Where did I go wrong...?) I always wanted to write a fic where Tasuki ended up on top of Kouji  
somehow. ::cackles evilly:: I'm so bad (Actually I'm not. I'm anti-yaoi out th' ass.) Can you tell I  
read Genrou Den? Actually it's like my Bible. I read it all the time. Reirei and Genrou forever!  
V^-^V  
  
Okay, since this IS my first fic, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!! I want some kinda feedback on it!!!  
But please don't print it out and keep a copy of it just to stomp on if you hate it, okay? Just send  
me a constructive criticism letter so I can weep and wail and stomp on it when I feel bad. (I don'  
take criticism too well.... -.-;;; )  
  
Tessen ~V^-^V~ 


End file.
